Arsenal AGM report: Wenger gives an interesting review

By Tony Attwood

Apart from apologising for yesterday’s defeat and dealing (as usual without notes) about the problems facing the club, as well as its successes and its future) this year Mr Wenger told the AGM the story of a meeting of top European managers who meet from time to time.

Much of the debate concerned this hypothetical position.

A club is in the semi-final of the Europa League, but is also on the edge of qualifying for the champions league.

Some players need to be rested – they cannot play in every game. So should the very finest that the club can offer be put out in the Europa League semi-final, or the championship matches to see if they can qualify next year for the top competition?

The answer was interesting: if the manager is playing for his own future, he will want the Europa Cup on his cv, so he will put the best team out in that. If he is playing for his club’s future, he will go for the Champions League and all the money that brings.

Mr Wenger further explained this philosophy. In order of importance he puts the competitions that club plays in as:

1: Winning the League

2: Winning the Champions League

3: Qualifying for the Champions League

4: Winning the FA Cup

5: Winning the League Cup.

It is an interesting revelation that puts the qualification in 3rd spot, above actual silver pots and trips to Wembley. The reason he gave was simple. If you are trying to buy a player he doesn’t look at the trophy cabinet and say, “wow, you have won the FA Cup last year”, he says, “are you playing in the Champions League next year?”

There was also the matter of the Ladies Team which won the Super League (again) and the Continental Cup. They got a sustained round of applause, and in answer to questions about why the club still played some games at lesser grounds, we were told to watch for announcements. More games at the Ems are possible.

Elsewhere for me the highlight of the AGM was that for the first time ever the AISA Arsenal History Society had a sales stand there, and everyone of the 700 or so people attending the meeting got a copy of our new leaflet about the Society. Copies of our three books were available:

as well as copies of our three booklets which trace the history of Arsenal from earliest times, which are sent out to all members. There was a lot of interest in our work, and I believe we signed some new members up as well as selling some of the books.

As for the rest, the board was re-elected, Stan Kronke said a few words, Mr Wenger gave a terrific and insightful speech without referring to notes at any time, and there were the usual hostile comments from the floor of the meeting, demanding that more money was spent.

The board reiterated that it always advocated no dividend and no debt and clearly hopes that Uefa will not only introduce its FFP programme, but continue with its other financial programmes which have seen 23 clubs fined this year for not paying their debts.

There was much on the ticket pricing, and the extension of the pricing freeze, although this year nothing on catering.

In essence the story is, the landscape is moving, Arsenal is in the centre, and we are going to be there ready to take on the financial brave new world which lurks just around the corner.

The fundamental point that our inadequate manager always ignores is the positive psychological impact winning a trophy would have on the players and to a lesser extent the belief it gives the fans. Our entire club lacks a winning mentality. Most of players haven’t experienced winning a major trophy and just do not know how to get over the line when they get themselves into a winning position. At the Emirates there are moans and groans with every misplaced pass. Win a trophy and all of sudden the players have belief, the fans are behind the team and only then will we be capable of challenging for the bigger trophies. There is so much that is fundamentally wrong with Wenger’s philosophy that it will take years for the club to recover after he’s gone.

Let me call on the Manager Prof ARSENE WENGER on this issue that make me so angry somehow but still i have to come back to myself that, is not everything always you want to prove perfect on and another one is these know that everything we should put blame on above mentioned early. Therefore we should consider they player too are they doing the right things when they come out to show to us the are comp ability in the field that they are up to the task, Another one again i want to call the attention of they Gunner Supporter we should bear in mind that this season we are looking for something an i promise you that the team will make us proud and we are going to laugh and laugh. Please we should give the MAN time let him do his best and you know the kind of Leader we have is not somebody you can predict is on predictable so let continue encourage the player to give us their best.

Arsene, plz also remember dat a top player playing for you would definitely prefere winning a trophy (FA CUP) to juz qualifying for the Champions League without winning any trophy @d end of the season- Same thing goes for majority of the fans.
Ask RVP, NASRI, CLICHY n co. why they left Arsenal, their reply is alws, ‘NO TROPHY @Arsenal’.
Plz it’s becoming a shame now, abt 7+ years without a trophy (even a League Cup) is very bad for a club as big as Arsenal.
Arsenal’s financial/transfer policy is a bit funny when one considers dat the club is ranked 5th among the richest clubs in the world!
Can anyone tell me why TV5 or Carzola shud remain @Arsenal next season if by the end of this season Arsenal fails (GOD forbid, though) to win a trophy and either Barca, Man City, Man U, R. Madrid or Chelsea make a bid of 20m+ and weekly wages of 130,000k??? Why shud they remain @Arsenal??? No money (enof money), no trophy, whyyy!!!!

@Kogi, what in gods name are you going on about? I can hardly understand your wording? Somewhere in that ramble I swear I saw a little dig at us fans? Are you at the emirates week in week out? Because if not then you have no right to ask anything from us that are. We are paying for season tickets to our LOCAL club so don’t come along with your unloyal foreign support and knock us. It’s unfair and you have no right to do it. COYG

The past week has been very,very poor.I do think we need to look at our injured list.EIGHT players out,of which SIX would at present be in the stating line up.Szch,Sagna,Gibbs,Wiltshire,Diaby,Walcott.Please judge us then.Two big problems i do have is that a)Why so many injuries(every season the same).b)Santos must never put a Arsernal shirt on again.
We need to buy a quality left back.Gibbs is not the answer.You will not get more than 15 to 20 matches from him.We all know he will come back to play for 7matches then be out again.
I think AW was totally right about the 5 trophies and the order.Look at Dalgish.The owners want a top four finish,not a carling cup win.
Finally,i do like Steve Bould but he needs some serious media training.On Sky last night he was poor.He generally had a smile on his face and then to say we lacked confidence was a massive NO,NO.This has been repeated all day today,plus can you imagine what Hughes is going to be like with his team on saturday.

One cannot argue with Arsene Wenger’s list of priorities.
Those who criticise him fail to appreciate that at the end of the day, it is the players on the field who can make or break a manager.
All the coaching and training ground tactics will fail if, on the day, the players do not produce of their best.
With the imminent return of a number of our injured, we can anticipate a resurgent look to the first team after a depressing couple of games. Remember, Gooners, we have not become a poor side overnight.

Before you emerge from the AAA sewer to attack a really sound fan like nicky, perhaps you would like to explain what you are up to based on your earlier conversation with Phil: –

“Phil July 07 2012 10:54:53
Take the fight to Kroenke.
forget protests outside the ground, it will just create animosity between supporters.
develop a fighting fund. reach out to celebrity supporters. run an advert campaign in his backyard. inundate his enterprises with mail, use the social media to embarrass him in the states., global electronic petitions, generate free publicity etc.

Doublegooner July 7, 2012 10:44:45
Stan is stashing our cash.
He can use it to buy another ‘franchaise’ somewhere whilst we all sit back & do f**k all.

Doublegooner July 7, 2012 12:48:38
Phil @ 10.54
You are exactly the type of supporter with the right idea.
If you read this this get in touch.doublegooner@hotmail.com”

Your pal seems a right trouble maker & you think he is the type of supporter we need? What a nasty piece of work you can be. NB for the benefit of those who may be offended I have sanitised one of your words.

The last two games showed clearly that Arsenal needs top finisher, a top striker. Imagine one attempt at the goal from a top team like arsenal. There is clearly a striker;s problem. The other team had three attempts and two were goals from Klass and Affelay.

@bjtgooner. nice one mate. I too get rather annoyed at these constant doomers but when a couple of them get together the atmosphere turns toxic and the AAA infection can spread to the more susceptible, shall we call them ‘tourist gooners’ or ‘forum gooners’.

@Paul “the Gooner”
I agree Santos was poor but he got absolutely no assistance from Podolski who was equally poor, or any one else.
One positive from the game was Coquelin who I thought did well.
I don’t know about you guys but I was not at all happy to see Cazorla laughing and joking with Affelay at the end of the match, even if they are old mates from the Spanish league. It really should have been long, embarrassed faces all round, not smiley ones.
Any rate a run of bad form can strike at any time so let’s not get too down on the team. Remember the bad run last January and then the great run that followed that.

Sounds like an interesting event, looks like a five star performance by wenger, Ivan sounded like he did ok too. Not sure about stan, seems like he just does to want to be there, and unsettled that he did not rule out taking money from the club. Stan does not seem to have done us any harm….but to sure about stan. Phw….an easy target…..he is in his late seventies FFS…leave him alone.
Interested in the opinion ffp is more club than eufa driven, than gives me a bit more hope on this issue, but still not convinced the really rich will not move further away no matter what happens….will we be one of them?

In her report, Mr Gazidis stressed that Stan the main man, had met with fan groups. We can therefore take it that Tim Payton, is a barefaced liar? Perhaps, Tony, can put some meat on this, as a member of the AISA!

Apparently things have just got worse for arsenal after all the events of the week….Stewart Robson has exclusively , on talkshite radio…HINTED a rift between wenger and bould on defensive issues. Explains everything or maybe robson is one man who needs to take an anti bitter pill!

Bjt, the program was aired after the Agm as far as I know. Doublegooner, Frank was a legend but lives in the past, a different era. Same with TA, a hero, but has done nothing but snipe against the club lately. Yes, he comes across as very bitter. He has said he would give anything to manage the club….admirable ambition, but I fail to see his qualifications at the moment. Unfortunately, he comes across as a bitter media mouth piece….like wrighty….and Robson….
All I have heard is that bould was given assurances on taking the job……I would expect such a character to walk if these assurances did not come to fruition, if that happens worry about it then, as opposed to listening to those who have nothing positive or even balanced to say about the club. Remember mr Robson left us for his true love…..west ham all those years ago.

I like Wenger as he never hide.
The list of the trophy :
1: Winning the League

This is a wishful thinking.
You and I know our chances to win it are zero.We can shout as much as we want but to achieve it we need sugar daddy.We are in October and the injury list speak for itself. At best the board and Stan they can be kind but not generous.Needless to say as the circumstances of the club (financial side )dictate.

2: Winning the Champions League
Oh.. well..ehmm

3: Qualifying for the Champions League

This is a must.We are a debit ridden club and we have to pay the debits therefore is a critical priority.

Guess I don’t….but there again, I don’t have more knowledge than tony woodcock……who talkshite persuaded to do an interview about this time last year…..stating for certain that arsenal would end up in a relegation dogfight last season…..I am on record on here at the same time saying we would end up in the champions league….ex players on the radio….don’t you just love em? Seem to remember a few classics from Merson in recent years as well.

Also, when you state “you should come over to the UK”, I hope you are not going down the anti – foreigner route yet again. Just in case you are mistaken – I am in the UK not too far away – but I welcome Arsenal fans from all round the world – I am not so sure that you share that outlook.

I Love this site as I have said many times, but this is the single worst and most one sided article that has ever been put out by this great site. Please please report what actually happened and don’t brush over the glaring chasms that are now really setting in with this club and its supporters and the board.

Yes Wenger is untouchable but we owe Kronke nothing as he is simply there for the money and has now all but confirmed himself. If you truly love the club then focus on this and DO NOT brush it under the carpet.

I like may fans are truly sick of this boards BS and sick of the fact we are wasting the greatest manager of the modern era. We can do better and we deserve better. Also this site is far better than this also. Please be a true leader in the Arsenal universe. Confront things head on and lead from the front as you guys always do.

I think Wenger is right about his priorities. Getting to the CL spot is very imp to get new players and hold onto current ones. I don’t want us to lose that spot and then try to buy mediocre players for inflated prices like liverpool. Once you are out of CL, attracting foreign players will be very difficult which is our strength. We cannot fight for decent to good english players.

As much as, I want my team to win FA/LC, more I want is us to be in position to fight for league title. You can’t do that once you start buying players of jonjo shelvey quality and thinking they are world class. I am happy where we are. A bit of luck with injuries and one or two good replacements and we are there knocking the top.

There are one or two players, I think, who do more damage to the team than help. Gervinho is one of them for sure. I wish he is nowhere near the first team as soon as possible.

Stop being so bloody sensitive when I refer to overseas fans.I most definately do not have problems if you live abroad and support the Arsenal. In fact, I have been going to China on business since 1998 & have converted & found fans over there. I take merchandise & publications over for them on most trips.

On a lighter note, I was there in June 2002 having a private business dinner being the only westerner in a room of 13 where only 3 spoke english. After copious amounts of alcohol I had the whole room bellowing out Arsenal songs. They had such a good evening that 5 of them were so drunk, they were scared to go home to their wives & checked into my hotel to dry out. It was one of those nights not to be forgotten. After the dinner half of them had their photo taken with my IMMORTAL P38 L0 banner that had been beamed around the World via Sky.

I’ll state again, I’ve followed Arsenal over land & sea consistently since 1966.What I resent, is someone here or abroad, who has only recently started supporting the club & who has likely never been to the stadium, telling me I’m not a real supporter because I don’t just shut up & back the manager & the owner no matter what they do.

That pompous imbecile Hill Wood summed up why 000’s are fed up with the club when he sarcastically & ignorantly ended his speech with ‘Thanks for coming, nice to know you’re all so interested in our affairs’.

Can’t disagree with AW’s priorities from a managerial and club perspective. Somehow the situation isn’t quite as clear cut with fans because of the high that they get from winning a piece of silverware, with all the bragging rights that it brings.

The media do not help by going on by goading us about lack of trophies, but can anyone logically argue that Liverpool have had a better season than us by winning the League Cup yet finishing well below us and not making the Champion’s League?

From a fans perspective the answer could be yes, (and remember persective = reality). The George Graham cup double in the 90’s is firmly etched in my memory, yet the mediocre league campaign that accompanied it and signalled the subsequent decline is not.

Keep up the good work I admire your efforts but on this site they fall on denial ears. They believe FFP to be some sort of knight in shining armour riding a winged Unicom that is going to slay the oil clubs and usher Arsenal into some golden age of success that we will be top of.

I have cut the rest of this email, because it seems to me inappropriate to use the columns of Untold to express as views of the editors of Untold matters which are quite untrue.

There are many many web sites that offer a different approach to Untold, and it seems to me to be better to go there, rather than use Untold to misrepresent the views of Untold.

If anyone is interested, I thought Mr Gazidis at the AGM put the case for FFP very well, and indeed his approach reflected a view of FFP that was printed in Untold recently.

You just make me laugh with your narrow mindedness and ‘all I want is trophies’ approach. Don’t worry, you haven’t offended me, not sure why you would think you have but anyway, on to other things.

Funny how you come out with daggers after a bad performance yet you’re never heard of after a good performance which is exactly why I question your claims of being a fan, still do and always will. I’d go as far to suggest your antics are those of some twerp journalist trying to sh*t stir.

If you have been supporting since 1965, perhaps it’s time you grew up and acted your age and realised you can’t have it all.

Tony, I never once said they were the views of untold – where did I say that? Also tell me it isn’t true that the owners of man city and ethiad are one and the same and that by sponsoring city 400m over 10 years isn’t sticking 2 fingers up to ffp? This is by no means the view of untold I’m just trying to get a healthy debate going! In my opinion and not untold’s you write an awful ammount of pro Wenger propaganda and in true communist style you censor anything that you disagree with. Again my opinion not untold’s.

Apart from being a resident of the AAA sewer you must either be an AST member or from the idiotic black scarf movement people because only the likes of them can spout the shit you do.. Personally i think you are the latter because not only do they speak shit but also love to racially stereotype to justify that they are better fans and i aint just rambling cos today those idiots attacked a person i follow on twitter just because he is from india and told him to stick to cricket

When Wenger took over Arsenal, Liverpool were a bigger club than we were in terms of support,achivements, History money, stadia etc we finished ahead of them in 96/97 season (wengers pre takeover) .

Now truthfully asks yourselves if wenger didnt come to Arsenal and revoulutionise our club and league – Would you have been happy being Liverpool for that period through till now?

Liverpool are suffering now for their lack of forward thinking at the time. Woulld you have been happy if we adopted their strategy. Odd cup success, no investment in youth and infrastructure, spending money on expensive foreign and domestic players and selling out to who ever in the hope that they will spash the cash.

Who would swap to be liverpool right now?

So for those who curse the board, the manager the club the so called ‘AKB’ view- what other alternative can you suggest – I know lets find a billionaire – how original!!!!!